What makes a great logo

The logo is a very powerful asset to the client’s brand. It gives the first impression of what a brand is all about. Therefore its design is extremely important for a brand to sell in the market. The five essential elements of effective logo design are:

SIMPLE

A simple logo is eye catching and stays in mind for ever. It is designed with simple forms, graphics or type which helps in easy recognition and thus is versatile and memorable. The job of a good logo is to communicate instantly what a business is all about. This is clearly explained in the K.I.S.S principle of design which says ‘Keep it Simple, Stupid’. A logo should be simple yet original and can be easily recognized and most effective in creating a brand image.

MEMORABLE

Simple makes memorable – Nike is the most appropriate example of it. A simple design is more effective in memorability. The impact of it is more than a complicated one. It is essential that there is some uniqueness in it which helps it to stay in people’s memory and at a glance audience can connect it to a particular brand. A memorable logo leads to more effective publicity of a business.

TIMELESS

Time changes, trends come and go but where the brand identity of a product is concerned, longevity is a key. Once an image of a brand is created in one’s mind for a long period of time it is more effective for the product to distinguish in a crowded shelf of a store or in any other vehicle used for advertising, marketing and promotion.

VERSATILE

The logo should be functional and designed in such a way that it works across a variety of mediums and applications. It should be designed in vector format. A logo has to look good and be legible, especially when it is scaled down for letterheads, envelopes and small promotional items from a tiny favicon to a giant poster. One should keep in mind the aspect of printing. The cost varies depending on the number of colours used. It is advisable to first make a monochromatic one that is black and white. This allows one to focus on actual shape rather than subjective nature of the colour. Colour evokes feelings and moods. For example, red evokes a feeling of aggression, love, passion and strength.

APPROPRIATE

A logo is only for identification. It need not necessarily describe what the company does or sells. The best logo speaks for itself to the appropriate audience effectively. It is not necessary for a toy shop to have a toys in its logo but an approach which can be connected to children like the font, the colour or a form with which children associate themselves.